When The Going Gets Tough

Sometimes life hits us hard...lately it seems many of my friends and family are going through tough times...when the going gets tough, those of us who can, get sewing.

One of my brothers-in-law is going through chemo therapy right now so I decided to make him a lap quilt.

This is a very simple pattern: Half Square Triangles (HST) using 10" blocks.  I originally used this method with another quilt from Missouri Star Quilt Company.   Still using HST but an entirely different pattern. (See it Here)

This is a very versatile, simple way to make a very fast-but-interesting quilt.

My LAQ used a pattern that complimented the geometric shapes in the quilt.

I decided to do the binding by machine.  The method I like is this "little flange" method.

I started using this method on place mats, wall hangings, baby quilts and anything that wasn't a bed quilt.  But, I find myself using it more and more. (I don't enjoy handwork so much.)

Click HERE for the tutorial.

 And finally, to make it cozy I used minky on the back.

I cannot DO anything about the suffering around me (sometimes I wish I had a magic wand) but I can make a warm, cozy quilt to let someone know I'm thinking of them. And I can, of course, pray.

James 1:12  (NIV)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Wrapping Up Summer

A Few Signs that Summer is pretty much OVER! 

Dog Days of Summer - hot, Hot, HOT outside!

Oldest G-son's Birthday.
My first grand-love.

Football practice before the Season starts.
Youngest Babe all suited up.
He still looks a bit like bobble head.

There are a few times during the year that I like to re-group.  

End of summer - just before school starts is one of those times.

Yesterday I finished another UFO (#5 on the UFO list).

Laura Heine's Puurfect Cat Collage

This is for the up-coming charity auction for Cat Adoption Team, Whisker Wonderland.

 AND

I cleaned and organized my sewing space ....

I'm ready for Fall and new sewing adventures!

Circling Back

Been a busy summer...vacationing with The Babes in the Portland area; with work (of course) and even a bit of quilting done along the way (still working on UFOs)  the summer seems to be flying by.

Biking Portland's Waterfront

Ever have one of those quilts that NEVER seem to be finished?!  While I was away in Portland I received several texts from my LAQ...different "issues" with my most recent quilt.  (See Previous Post.) Seems I was in too much of a hurry to get 'er done.

Issue number one: BACKING NOT BIG ENOUGH!  What??!!???  I measured, I cut, I pieced....still, I missed?

Issue number two: some of my seams on the borders were "skimpy."  Trying to get those borders on a bit too quickly, 'eh?

Issue number three (the one that broke the camels back):  my outer border was wavy.  WHA!?  It was more than a body could handle! 

 After an appropriate time out, I had to decide what to do.  I was discouraged AND I was ready for this quilt to be done!  I was too far into it to say "forget it"  and besides, it is a gift for my sister's birthday...which was two weeks ago.  So I decided on a nice long date with Jack....cheesy movie on Netflix, a glass of wine and Jack. My personal version of  "A loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thou."



First:  take all the borders off.
Second:  remove the last row of four blocks from the length (it was too long anyway), make an additional block and add another row to the width.  Now instead of a 4-blocks by 6-blocks quilt, it is a 5-blocks by 5-blocks quilt.

New Quilt Size

New, Additional block

Finally:  Reattach the borders.

I decided to use a different method suggested to me by my quilting-neighbor, Wanda.
Her suggestion: instead of adding the borders (3) one border at a time, sew all the borders together and THEN add to the quilt, mitering the corners.  Sounds hard with that scary word "miter" but Wanda assured me it wasn't bad, she does all her quilts that way and she's been quilting A LONG TIME.

Borders

My very first mitered corner!

I love the look,  but it was harder than I thought it would be. 
It doesn't help that the finished top is 107" by 107".   SO much fabric!  

I believe this is the largest quilt I've ever made.

(My LAQ asked if it was "big enough" for the sister's bed....I should hope to shout!)

And, FINALLY, it is finished!  AGAIN!

Picture taken before the corners were mitered.

Of course, it still needs quilting and binding, but all-in-all, I'm happy with it.